A look at Mike Riley's offense

[NebraskaHarry]

We keep coming back to this, and the abject terror some people have around here involving the passing game. Once upon a time ago we did throw the ball under TO. In fact one of our Heisman Trophy winners was a receiver. And we have some guys that appear to be very dangerous weapons at that position here. And Swift and Peterson were very good for us as well. One more thought, if you want to win in football today, you need to be able to throw the ball. Good defenses tend to shut down one dimensional offenses.

If you look farther back than the last couple years, Riley did plenty of run first when that was what the talent dictated. Quizz Rogers and Steven Jackson were both in run heavy offenses. Yeah, they threw a ton the last few years. But with a 1st round WR and a QB who might be the 3rd or 4th QB off the board in this year's draft, he would have been stupid to not throw a lot.

This infatuation with percentages, throwing vs. running, who gives a damn. If Tommy throws 35 times and completes 28 of them, then who gives a damn about how much we run or pass. We need to be effective and efficient, I don't care how we do it. I'm a huge fan of the run game, but I'm more of a fan of moving the chains and winning football games.

True2t - Lately, it seems every time I read your posts you seem to be a little more on edge.

 

[True2tRA]

We keep coming back to this, and the abject terror some people have around here involving the passing game. Once upon a time ago we did throw the ball under TO. In fact one of our Heisman Trophy winners was a receiver. And we have some guys that appear to be very dangerous weapons at that position here. And Swift and Peterson were very good for us as well. One more thought, if you want to win in football today, you need to be able to throw the ball. Good defenses tend to shut down one dimensional offenses.

If you look farther back than the last couple years, Riley did plenty of run first when that was what the talent dictated. Quizz Rogers and Steven Jackson were both in run heavy offenses. Yeah, they threw a ton the last few years. But with a 1st round WR and a QB who might be the 3rd or 4th QB off the board in this year's draft, he would have been stupid to not throw a lot.

This infatuation with percentages, throwing vs. running, who gives a damn. If Tommy throws 35 times and completes 28 of them, then who gives a damn about how much we run or pass. We need to be effective and efficient, I don't care how we do it. I'm a huge fan of the run game, but I'm more of a fan of moving the chains and winning football games.

True2t - Lately, it seems every time I read your posts you seem to be a little more on edge.

I try man, I really do. I don't feel sorry for myself and I don't sulk or whine, but I think I do a reasonably okay job of keeping my cool considering the things I see and deal with on a daily basis. You're right though, I do let it get the better of me sometimes. I'm working on it.

 

[Count 'Bility]

We keep coming back to this, and the abject terror some people have around here involving the passing game. Once upon a time ago we did throw the ball under TO. In fact one of our Heisman Trophy winners was a receiver. And we have some guys that appear to be very dangerous weapons at that position here. And Swift and Peterson were very good for us as well. One more thought, if you want to win in football today, you need to be able to throw the ball. Good defenses tend to shut down one dimensional offenses.

If you look farther back than the last couple years, Riley did plenty of run first when that was what the talent dictated. Quizz Rogers and Steven Jackson were both in run heavy offenses. Yeah, they threw a ton the last few years. But with a 1st round WR and a QB who might be the 3rd or 4th QB off the board in this year's draft, he would have been stupid to not throw a lot.

This infatuation with percentages, throwing vs. running, who gives a damn. If Tommy throws 35 times and completes 28 of them, then who gives a damn about how much we run or pass. We need to be effective and efficient, I don't care how we do it. I'm a huge fan of the run game, but I'm more of a fan of moving the chains and winning football games.

True2t - Lately, it seems every time I read your posts you seem to be a little more on edge.

In the span of a couple days you've told me to simmer down and True to relax. What's the deal? Are you the attitude police?

 

[Hedley Lamarr]

We keep coming back to this, and the abject terror some people have around here involving the passing game. Once upon a time ago we did throw the ball under TO. In fact one of our Heisman Trophy winners was a receiver. And we have some guys that appear to be very dangerous weapons at that position here. And Swift and Peterson were very good for us as well. One more thought, if you want to win in football today, you need to be able to throw the ball. Good defenses tend to shut down one dimensional offenses.

If you look farther back than the last couple years, Riley did plenty of run first when that was what the talent dictated. Quizz Rogers and Steven Jackson were both in run heavy offenses. Yeah, they threw a ton the last few years. But with a 1st round WR and a QB who might be the 3rd or 4th QB off the board in this year's draft, he would have been stupid to not throw a lot.

This infatuation with percentages, throwing vs. running, who gives a damn. If Tommy throws 35 times and completes 28 of them, then who gives a damn about how much we run or pass. We need to be effective and efficient, I don't care how we do it. I'm a huge fan of the run game, but I'm more of a fan of moving the chains and winning football games.

True2t - Lately, it seems every time I read your posts you seem to be a little more on edge.

In the span of a couple days you've told me to simmer down and True to relax. What's the deal? Are you the attitude police?

Needs to change username to OprahHusker or DrPhil

 

[NUinID]

Nebraska coach Mike Riley said he likes how much of the offensive scheme the unit has practiced so far this spring. Only problem? It might be too much.


Riley indicated Wednesday -- after the team's seventh practice -- that he and the coaches will reevaluate what parts of the playbook they want emphasize during the second half of spring.

They'll focus on less, for sure. He may even think about holding back some concepts this fall as well.

"We put in quite a bit of stuff and eventually here we actually have to pull back a little bit and focus in some stuff to finish with (this spring), so we head into fall camp being pretty good at a few things and not average at a whole bunch of stuff," Riley said. "That's what my biggest concern is right now."

He talked to his staff about it before Wednesday's practice, what seemed to be a tough session for the NU offense -- particularly in the passing game with the Huskers' talented defensive line creating havoc up front.

OWH

I love that quote.

I do to, what that says is that he understands and wants to win games. He is not going to be a slave to his system at the expense of winning games. Bill Callahan would never do that because he believed it was more about implementing his system. To him it didn't matter if we didn't win games that first year he would draft oops I mean recruit players to fit it later.

 

[NebraskaHarry]

We keep coming back to this, and the abject terror some people have around here involving the passing game. Once upon a time ago we did throw the ball under TO. In fact one of our Heisman Trophy winners was a receiver. And we have some guys that appear to be very dangerous weapons at that position here. And Swift and Peterson were very good for us as well. One more thought, if you want to win in football today, you need to be able to throw the ball. Good defenses tend to shut down one dimensional offenses.

If you look farther back than the last couple years, Riley did plenty of run first when that was what the talent dictated. Quizz Rogers and Steven Jackson were both in run heavy offenses. Yeah, they threw a ton the last few years. But with a 1st round WR and a QB who might be the 3rd or 4th QB off the board in this year's draft, he would have been stupid to not throw a lot.

This infatuation with percentages, throwing vs. running, who gives a damn. If Tommy throws 35 times and completes 28 of them, then who gives a damn about how much we run or pass. We need to be effective and efficient, I don't care how we do it. I'm a huge fan of the run game, but I'm more of a fan of moving the chains and winning football games.

True2t - Lately, it seems every time I read your posts you seem to be a little more on edge.

In the span of a couple days you've told me to simmer down and True to relax. What's the deal? Are you the attitude police?

Needs to change username to OprahHusker or DrPhil

Yeah that!

 

[HuskerCarter]

It sounds like this offense is basically going to stay the same, except less QB mobility and runs, and more passes to the Tight Ends and Running Backs.

How many running backs and tight ends do we have on the team that have soft enough hands to catch the ball?

 

[The Dude]

From what I've hear we're still going to run a lot of inside and outside zone. Other than that it should change quite a bit. Entirely different passing concepts, more blockers at the LOS in the run game, more QB under center (but more shotgun than what Riley usually does), more jet sweep shenanigans, and of course TEs catching passes and more screen passes.

Oh, and we huddle now.

 

[Count 'Bility]

From what I've hear we're still going to run a lot of inside and outside zone. Other than that it should change quite a bit. Entirely different passing concepts, more blockers at the LOS in the run game, more QB under center (but more shotgun than what Riley usually does), more jet sweep shenanigans, and of course TEs catching passes and more screen passes.

Oh, and we huddle now.

thats great and all. But what about the clap?

 

[SouthLincoln Husker]

From what I've hear we're still going to run a lot of inside and outside zone. Other than that it should change quite a bit. Entirely different passing concepts, more blockers at the LOS in the run game, more QB under center (but more shotgun than what Riley usually does), more jet sweep shenanigans, and of course TEs catching passes and more screen passes.

Oh, and we huddle now.

thats great and all. But what about the clap?

It is gone!

 

[True2tRA]

From what I've hear we're still going to run a lot of inside and outside zone. Other than that it should change quite a bit. Entirely different passing concepts, more blockers at the LOS in the run game, more QB under center (but more shotgun than what Riley usually does), more jet sweep shenanigans, and of course TEs catching passes and more screen passes.

Oh, and we huddle now.

With our shortcomings at Tackle and our strength at Guard, I hope to hell we are running inside a lot more than outside.

More blockers at the LOS? What a concept, huh Beck?

TE? What's that? Do we have one? If we are throwing short routes to the TE, Tommy better learn to take some heat off every throw. That goes for throwing the screen pass too. They don't all need to be lasers.

I'll always be a fan of an offense that huddles.

 

[caveman99]

From what I've hear we're still going to run a lot of inside and outside zone. Other than that it should change quite a bit. Entirely different passing concepts, more blockers at the LOS in the run game, more QB under center (but more shotgun than what Riley usually does), more jet sweep shenanigans, and of course TEs catching passes and more screen passes.

Oh, and we huddle now.

thats great and all. But what about the clap?

It is gone!

That is some good medicine

 

[The Dude]

From what I've hear we're still going to run a lot of inside and outside zone. Other than that it should change quite a bit. Entirely different passing concepts, more blockers at the LOS in the run game, more QB under center (but more shotgun than what Riley usually does), more jet sweep shenanigans, and of course TEs catching passes and more screen passes.

Oh, and we huddle now.

thats great and all. But what about the clap?

Only when they break the huddle, I hope.

 

[admo]

From what I've hear we're still going to run a lot of inside and outside zone. Other than that it should change quite a bit. Entirely different passing concepts, more blockers at the LOS in the run game, more QB under center (but more shotgun than what Riley usually does), more jet sweep shenanigans, and of course TEs catching passes and more screen passes.

Oh, and we huddle now.

thats great and all. But what about the clap?

Only when they break the huddle, I hope.

Lol me too. Let's also assume they will integrate a hurry up offense without a huddle sometimes. It just won't be the central part of the offense.

 

[The Dude]

Correction: I was wrong about the QB under center bit, expect a lot of shotgun/pistol still.